Bottom Line:
Age and smoking were independently related to PV.Patients with hypercholesterolemia had significantly less lipid and more calcium in their plaques than patients without hypercholesterolemia.Luminal stenosis of the carotid artery partly reflects the amount of atherosclerotic carotid disease.

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to examine the volume and the composition of atherosclerotic plaque in symptomatic carotid arteries and to investigate the relationship between these plaque features and the severity of stenosis and the presence of cardiovascular risk factors. One hundred patients with cerebrovascular symptoms underwent CT angiography. We measured plaque volume (PV) and the relative contribution of plaque components (calcifications, fibrous tissue, and lipid) in the symptomatic artery. The contribution of different components was measured as the number of voxels within defined ranges of HU values (calcification >130 HU, fibrous tissue 60-130 HU, lipid core <60 HU). Fifty-seven patients had atherosclerotic plaque in the symptomatic carotid artery. The severity of stenosis and PV were moderately correlated. Age and smoking were independently related to PV. Patients with hypercholesterolemia had significantly less lipid and more calcium in their plaques than patients without hypercholesterolemia. Other cardiovascular risk factors were not significantly related to PV or plaque composition. Luminal stenosis of the carotid artery partly reflects the amount of atherosclerotic carotid disease. Plaque volume and plaque composition are associated with cardiovascular risk factors.

Fig4: Scatter plot demonstrates the relation between the contribution of the three different plaque components and total plaque volume in 57 patients. The gray line represents the contribution of lipid, the dotted line represents the contribution of fibrous tissue, and the solid black line represents the contribution of calcifications to the total plaque volume

Mentions:
Figure 4 shows the relationship between the contribution of calcium, fibrous tissue, and lipid, and total PV in the 57 patients with atherosclerotic plaque. With increasing PV, the contribution of fibrous tissue decreased (Rs = -0.83, P < 0.001) and the contribution of lipid increased (Rs = 0.62, P < 0.001). With an increase in PV, the contribution of calcium increased slightly (Rs = 0.42, P = 0.001). After exclusion of severely calcified plaques, we still revealed an increase in the contribution of lipid with increasing PV (Rs = 0.64, P = 0.001).Fig. 4

Fig4: Scatter plot demonstrates the relation between the contribution of the three different plaque components and total plaque volume in 57 patients. The gray line represents the contribution of lipid, the dotted line represents the contribution of fibrous tissue, and the solid black line represents the contribution of calcifications to the total plaque volume

Mentions:
Figure 4 shows the relationship between the contribution of calcium, fibrous tissue, and lipid, and total PV in the 57 patients with atherosclerotic plaque. With increasing PV, the contribution of fibrous tissue decreased (Rs = -0.83, P < 0.001) and the contribution of lipid increased (Rs = 0.62, P < 0.001). With an increase in PV, the contribution of calcium increased slightly (Rs = 0.42, P = 0.001). After exclusion of severely calcified plaques, we still revealed an increase in the contribution of lipid with increasing PV (Rs = 0.64, P = 0.001).Fig. 4

Bottom Line:
Age and smoking were independently related to PV.Patients with hypercholesterolemia had significantly less lipid and more calcium in their plaques than patients without hypercholesterolemia.Luminal stenosis of the carotid artery partly reflects the amount of atherosclerotic carotid disease.

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to examine the volume and the composition of atherosclerotic plaque in symptomatic carotid arteries and to investigate the relationship between these plaque features and the severity of stenosis and the presence of cardiovascular risk factors. One hundred patients with cerebrovascular symptoms underwent CT angiography. We measured plaque volume (PV) and the relative contribution of plaque components (calcifications, fibrous tissue, and lipid) in the symptomatic artery. The contribution of different components was measured as the number of voxels within defined ranges of HU values (calcification >130 HU, fibrous tissue 60-130 HU, lipid core <60 HU). Fifty-seven patients had atherosclerotic plaque in the symptomatic carotid artery. The severity of stenosis and PV were moderately correlated. Age and smoking were independently related to PV. Patients with hypercholesterolemia had significantly less lipid and more calcium in their plaques than patients without hypercholesterolemia. Other cardiovascular risk factors were not significantly related to PV or plaque composition. Luminal stenosis of the carotid artery partly reflects the amount of atherosclerotic carotid disease. Plaque volume and plaque composition are associated with cardiovascular risk factors.